NOMINATION GUIDANCE CHECKLIST

NOMINATION GUIDANCE CHECKLIST

Below is a checklist which is designed to help you ensure that nominations made by your constituent association are within the rules and therefore valid

If Association Rules specify that a ballot must be held then see Section 3 - Ballot below.

If not, the nomination should be put on the agenda of the General Meeting – See Section 1, 2 below.

Section 1 – Notice

1.            Members must be given seven days’ written notice of the meeting.

2.            The notice MUST specify 'Nominations for XXX Election to be considered’

e.g. Nominations for Deputy General Secretary 2015-2020

3.            The notice should specify the number of nominations the association can make

e.g. Deputy General Secretary x 1

5.            If it is anticipated the meeting will be inquorate the notice should state "in event of meeting being

inquorate any names submitted by 5pm on (insert date of meeting) will be included on ballot paper to

members. (This will avoid the need to send out a further letter seeking nominations).

Section 2 – Nominations at a General Meeting

1.            The Chair will ask for names from members and the committee to be put forward for consideration

along with those received by the Secretary prior to the meeting.

2.            The Chair will present the list to the meeting:

(a)          If only one name is received the Chair will ask the meeting:

Do you wish "name" to be the nominated candidate of the "name" association? YES/NO

(b)          If more than one name is received the Chair will ask the meeting:

Q.1 Do you wish to make a nomination from any of the names listed YES/NO

(c)           If the meeting votes to make a nomination the Chair will ask:

                                Q.2 Please identify the candidate of your choice:

Note: In the event that a majority of members vote in favour of making a nomination (Q.1), votes in Q.2 will be counted. If you vote "No" in Q.1, you may still vote in Q.2"

6.            Votes can be counted on a simple majority basis

Section 3 – Ballot - specified by rules or following an inquorate general meeting.

Unless step 5 in section 1 above has been followed (or the local rules of the association requires a ballot to select candidates) then steps 1 and 2 must be carried out.

●             Letter to members, apart from students, seeking names for nomination.

●             Ensure return address and deadline specified.

Form of Ballot Paper

If only one name is received the question is:

                Do you wish "name" to be the nominated candidate of the "name" association?

YES/NO

If more than one name is received two questions are required, together with the explanatory Note below:

               

Q.1 Do you wish to make a nomination from any of the names listed below in Q.2?

YES/NO

Q.2 Please mark with an "X" the candidate(s) of your choice:

NAME A
NAME B
NAME C

Note:

In the event that the majority of members vote "No" to Q.1 (i.e., that they do not wish to make a nomination from any of the names listed), the votes to Q.2 will not be counted.

If there is a majority vote in favour of making a nomination ALL votes to Q.2 will be counted. Therefore even if a member votes "No" to Q.1, they may still vote in Q.2. This must be made clear on the ballot paper.

Depending upon the outcome of the first count, the nominated candidate shall be the person with the most votes.

COMMENTS

●        You should take your nomination form to the meeting in order that the declaration, which must be signed by two officers present, can be completed.

●        Please ensure that you enter the candidate's name and membership number on the form.  The boxes for the details of home and school address should be completed wherever possible, but do not delay sending in the form if you do not have this information to hand. 

●        Forms received after the deadline will be automatically ruled invalid.

●        Returned ballot papers should be opened in the presence of two officers

●        The SIGNED hard copy can be 1) posted in the reply paid envelope, 2) faxed or 3) scanned and emailed in accordance with the timetables set out in the nomination circular.

●        Unsigned forms which are emailed must be followed by a signed copy in one of the above three formats and received by the deadline.

TIMETABLE

Deputy General Secretary 2015-20

Closing date for receipt of nominations at HQ                                                       Mon 1 Dec 2014

Despatch of Ballot Papers to members eligible to vote                                     Mon 5 Jan 2015

Ballot papers to be returned to Independent Scrutineer by                            Midday Mon 26 Jan 2015